Sports
Five Early 2026 MLB Takes That Might Already Be True
Mar 24, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers two-way player Shohei Ohtani (17) on deck in the fourth against the Los Angeles Angels at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images A week of games is never enough time to evaluate anything in Major League Baseball.
Unless, of course, it is enough time.
The Los Angeles Dodgers will win the N.L. West by 25 games.
This is more of a first impression of the rest of the division, and not even a “if everything goes perfectly” projection. But if the Dodgers win 110 games, which seems not far-fetched, second place needs to go 85-77 for a 25-game margin. That seems about right for the San Diego Padres and Arizona Diamondbacks, and don’t even bother worrying about the San Francisco Giants or Colorado Rockies winning more than 85. (Seventy-five? Sixty-five?)
The record margin for winning a division is 23.5 games by the 1995 Cleveland Indians in the AL Central, which came in a strike-shortened season. The top mark for a full season is the 2001 Seattle Mariners, who won the AL West by 20 games, finishing with a 116-46 record. If the Dodgers win that many, they’ll take the West by 30.
Or more.
The San Francisco Giants will lose 95 games.
It’s going to take new manager Tony Vitello a moment to adjust to the big leagues after serving his apprenticeship in college.
But the Giants have had a questionable roster composition all along, which should make everyone also question how long it’s going to take team president Buster Posey to transition from team legend as a catcher to credible as a major league executive.
Brian Cashman will win Executive of the Year for running it back with the New York Yankees.
source: Getty Images The Yanks are 6-1 having played the Giants (oof), Seattle Mariners (middling start) and Miami Marlins (OK, but still meh) so far, not exactly a Murderer’s Row schedule. But they look pret-ty, pre-ty good, especially with Aaron Judge not having to carry them. And without having pitchers Gerrit Cole, Carlos Rodón and Clarke Schmidt on the active roster yet because of injury rehab.
New players include only left-hander Ryan Weathers, backup outfielder Randal Grichuk and Rule 5 reliever Cade Winquest. Well done, Cash! It’s not a World Series champion yet, of course…
You might have heard about rookie catcher Carter Jensen oversleeping and being scratched from the lineup Thursday afternoon. Jensen has a bright future if he’d just literally wake up.
Well, back in Spring Training, KC social media produced a TikTok video asking their players how many alarms and snoozes it takes for them to wake up. The answers varied, but the best one (and also the worst) came from Jensen.
“This is embarrassing,” Jensen began. “I need at least, like, six-to-eight alarms. It’s not good.”
It was all right there in the TikTok scouting report. When people tell you who they are, believe them!
The ABS system will be good for all parties, as long as umpires keep their cool.
Hawk-Eye tracking cameras are positioned around the stadium. Five cameras are used to track pitches. Additional cameras around the stadium are used to track player position and ball location. Major League Baseball is testing an Automated Ball-Stike (ABS) challenge system at select spring training parks. The system allows players to challenge a limited number of ball/stike calls during a game. Calls can be overturned if the pitch tracking technology shows an umpire got a call wrong. On a cold and wet night Wednesday, a hot mic caught umpire Andy Fletcher complaining about the Minnesota Twins challenging his strike zone.
“For God’s sake,” Fletcher whined after one of 11 challenges went up, including nine by the Twins — who were right about eight of them.
As they challenged, the Twins chipped away at an 11-run deficit, losing 13-9 to the Royals but bringing the tying run to the on-deck circle in the ninth. It would have been a less competitive game without ABS.
“There will be some umpires that have an ego behind it,” Twins catcher Ryan Jeffers told reporters. “But at the end of the day, I think most of them understand that it’s part of the game now.”
Sports
Amaka Agugua-Hamilton no longer coach at Virginia
Feb 22, 2026; Louisville, Kentucky, USA; Virginia Cavaliers head coach Amaka Agugua-Hamilton calls out instructions during the second half against the Louisville Cardinals at KFC Yum! Center. Mandatory Credit: Jamie Rhodes-Imagn Images Virginia parted ways with Amaka Agugua-Hamilton as its head women’s basketball coach after four seasons.
The university announced the news Saturday about Agugua-Hamilton, who helped the Cavaliers become the initial First Four team to advance to the Sweet 16 of the Women’s NCAA Tournament after defeating seventh-seeded Georgia 82-73 in overtime in the first round, then upsetting second-seeded Iowa 83-75 in double overtime in the second round.
Virginia’s season came to an end after dropping a 79-69 decision to third-seeded TCU on March 28.
The Cavaliers, who finished 20-12 this season, posted a 70-58 record with a 29-42 mark in ACC play under Agugua-Hamilton.
The university issued a brief statement on Saturday, saying only that she will not return to the role and that a national search will begin immediately.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Kelly Morrone named women's basketball coach at Albany
Dec 10, 2022; South Bend, Indiana, USA; Merrimack Warriors head coach Kelly Morrone at the end of the first quarter against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish at the Purcell Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: Matt Cashore-Imagn Images Albany announced the hiring of Kelly Morrone as the next women’s basketball head coach.
Morrone spent the past six seasons as the head coach at Merrimack, a member of the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference. She was named 2026 MAAC Coach of the Year after the Warriors finished 19-13 (15-5 MAAC) and was selected to the women’s NIT. Merrimack lost to NJIT in the first round.
“I am incredibly honored and excited to accept the position of head women’s basketball coach at the University at Albany,” she said Saturday in a statement. “I’ve long admired the tradition and pride of the Great Danes, and I am deeply grateful to be entrusted with this important opportunity. It is a privilege to lead a program with such strong institutional support and a clear commitment to excellence.”
Her record at Merrimack was 74-92. During her tenure, Merrimack made the transition from Division II to Division I.
She also won 117 games at John Carroll, a Division III program in University Heights, Ohio.
Morrone played at South Carolina and was a three-year captain, her career ending with a second-round loss in the Women’s NCAA Tournament in 2003. She began her coaching career as an assistant coach at Buffalo (2005-08), followed by stops at Davidson (2008-10), Rhode Island (2010-12) and William & Mary (2012-13) before John Carroll.
At Albany, she replaces Colleen Mullen, who recently accepted the same job at Rhode Island. Mullen led the Great Danes to one NCAA Tournament berth in eight seasons, but before her arrival, Albany was a consistent winner in the America East.
The Great Danes appeared in the NCAA Tournament six consecutive seasons between 2012-17.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Cubs place RHP Cade Horton (forearm) on 15-day IL
Mar 28, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Cubs pitcher Cade Horton (22) pitches against the Washington Nationals during the first inning at Wrigley Field. Mandatory Credit: Patrick Gorski-Imagn Images The Chicago Cubs placed right-handed starter Cade Horton on the 15-day injured list Sunday with a right forearm strain.
The move is retroactive to Saturday for Horton, who exited Friday’s start against the host Cleveland Guardians after one-plus inning and 17 pitches.
Horton retired the side in order in the first inning before walking Kyle Manzardo on five pitches to open the second. He left the game with the Cubs’ head trainer. The Guardians went on to win 4-1.
“I had some tightness in my wrist and as the game went on, it went into my forearm,” Horton said on Friday. “I wanted to err on the cautious side and not hurt anything else. I just wanted to be smart about it and make a smart decision.”
Horton lowered his ERA to 2.45 on Friday after he yielded two runs in 6 1/3 innings in the Cubs’ 10-2 win over the Washington Nationals on March 28. It is the 24-year-old’s second season in the major leagues.
He was 11-4 with a 2.67 ERA in his rookie season.
Also on Sunday, the Cubs recalled left-hander Riley Martin from Triple-A Iowa and tabbed right-hander Ethan Roberts as the 27th man for Sunday’s doubleheader against the Guardians.
Martin, 28, has yet to pitch in a major league game. He is 24-13 with a 3.76 ERA in 174 career appearances (three starts) in the minors.
–Field Level Media
Amaka Agugua-Hamilton no longer coach at Virginia
Kelly Morrone named women's basketball coach at Albany
